1. Introduction
A well-designed job architecture is only effective if it is supported by clear and intentional governance. Governance defines how roles are created, updated, communicated, and maintained, ensuring that the job architecture remains relevant, scalable, and aligned with the organization’s strategy.
The governance policy presented in the document outlines the principles, processes, and responsibilities required to sustainably manage a job architecture. As stated on page 2, its purpose is to create consistency, fairness, transparency, and a strong connection to other HR practices such as workforce planning, total rewards, and talent development. An agile governance approach encourages fast but responsible decision-making and enables teams to adapt roles as business needs evolve.
2. Purpose of Job Architecture Governance
According to the description on page 2, the governance policy serves several core purposes:
Define principles, processes, and roles for managing and maintaining the job architecture.
Ensure consistency and fairness across job families, levels, and titles.
Align the architecture with the organization’s strategic goals.
Facilitate smooth integration with workforce planning, compensation, and talent development processes.
The highlighted text at the bottom of page 2 emphasizes the value of an agile governance policy, which keeps the architecture aligned with changing business realities while promoting responsible decision-making and flexibility.
3. Core Governance Principles
On page 3, six key principles define how governance should function:
Consistency
Job families, titles, and levels must follow clearly defined guidelines that create structural alignment across all departments.
Empowerment Over Hierarchy
Managers and HR Business Partners jointly lead the role-evolution process. Governance is not meant to reinforce hierarchy, but to promote shared ownership and decision-making.
Transparency Over Bureaucracy
Processes should be visible and accessible. Decisions around roles, updates, and changes must be documented and open rather than hidden or ambiguous.
Accountability
Governance responsibilities must be clearly defined, ensuring that every part of the process has an owner and that decisions are traceable.
Scalability
The job architecture must support future growth, reorganizations, and evolving business needs without requiring a complete redesign.
Equity
Governance ensures role clarity and equitable pay structures through a consistent and unbiased approach.
4. Designing a Governance Structure
Page 4 presents a series of reflective questions that help organizations design an appropriate governance structure based on their unique context:
How complex is the organizational structure (matrix, flat, hierarchical)?
Is an agile or rigid governance approach better suited to current and future needs?
How frequently are new roles expected to emerge?
Who has approval authority for new roles?
How will changes be communicated across the organization?
What training or support do managers need to correctly apply the architecture?
Who is responsible for maintaining the architecture in the platform or system?
Who oversees the governance model as a whole?
These questions highlight that governance is not one-size-fits-all; it must be adapted to organizational maturity, culture, growth stage, and operational structure.
5. Key Governance Processes
The final section on page 5 outlines the essential processes that must be defined within any governance model. Each process includes ownership, steps, and required stakeholders.
1. Creation of New Roles
This process defines:
Who can initiate the creation of a new role (typically managers or HRBPs).
Steps for drafting, reviewing, grading, and approving the new role.
Stakeholders, such as HR, business leaders, compensation specialists, and platform administrators.
2. Review and Update of Existing Roles
Governance should specify:
How frequently roles are reviewed (e.g., annually or during reorganizations).
Which stakeholders participate in the review (typically managers, HR, and compensation).
The purpose is to keep roles aligned with reality as responsibilities evolve.
3. Governance Review
As the document notes, this ensures that the overall job architecture continues to align with:
Organizational strategy
Market data
Internal equity
A governance review typically happens on a set schedule (e.g., yearly) and involves senior HR leadership and business stakeholders.
4. Exception Handling
Exception handling defines:
Who can request exceptions to the standard process.
Steps required to evaluate and justify the exception.
Stakeholders responsible for reviewing and approving deviations.
This process is crucial for balancing structure with flexibility.
6. Conclusion
The governance framework outlined in the document provides the foundation for a sustainable, transparent, and fair job architecture. Clear principles, well-defined roles and responsibilities, and structured processes ensure that the architecture remains aligned with business needs while promoting equity and consistency across the organization.
An agile governance mindset—emphasized throughout the slides—supports responsive decision-making, role evolution, and the integration of job architecture with broader talent and compensation strategies. By defining how new roles are created, how existing roles are maintained, and how exceptions and strategic reviews are handled, organizations can ensure that their job architecture remains a living, adaptable, and strategically valuable framework.